| Publisher: | Marvel Comics |
| Startmo: | April |
| Startyr: | 2006 |
| Endmo: | June |
| Endyr: | 2007 |
| Superhero: | y |
| Titles: | Incredible Hulk #92–105 Giant-Size Hulk #1 |
| Genre: | superhero, planetary romance |
| Notable: | January 2010 |
| Issues: | 15 |
| Main Char Team: | Hulk Warbound The Illuminati |
| Writers: | Greg Pak |
| Pencillers: | Carlo Pagulayan and Aaron Lopresti |
| Inkers: | Jeffrey Huet |
| Letterers: | Randy Gentile Joe Caramagna |
| Editors: | Nathan Cosby Mark Paniccia |
| Colorists: | Chris Sotomayor |
| Tpb: | Prelude to Planet Hulk |
| Isbn: | 0-7851-1953-1 |
| Tpb1: | Planet Hulk |
| Isbn1: | 0-7851-2245-1 |
| Cat: | Hulk (comics) |
| Sortkey: | Planet Hulk |
"Planet Hulk" is a Marvel Comics storyline that ran primarily through issues of The Incredible Hulk starting in 2006. Written by Greg Pak, it dealt with the Marvel heroes' decision to send the Hulk away, his acclimation to and conquest of the planet where he landed, Sakaar, and his efforts to return to Earth to take his revenge.
There was also a special Planet Hulk: Gladiator Guidebook publication by Anthony Flamini and the storyline's main writer Greg Pak, similar to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe detailing the characters, races and cultures within the storyline.
Elements from the storyline have been adapted into other media, including an animated film of the same name, as well as the live action film .
The storyline's main writer Greg Pak describes the origin of the ideas: "The inspiration for sending Hulk to an alien planet where he'd battle monsters as a gladiator came from Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada. I loved the idea from the minute I heard it, so I was blown away when they told me I had the gig and even more blown away when they basically cut me loose to create the whole world".[1] He also drew from real-world history: "I got inspiration for the story by reading about the real lives of gladiators in ancient Rome and from the stories of figures like Genghis Khan and more contemporary warlords, dictators, and political leaders. Sun Tzu's Art of War and Joseph Campbell's Power of Myth played a big role in helping me think through other aspects of the story".
The story's roots began in the New Avengers: Illuminati one-shot and Incredible Hulk #88–91. The main storyline was told in Incredible Hulk #92–105, and Giant-Size Hulk vol 2 #1.
It led directly to the World War Hulk crossover, and inspired the Son of Hulk series.
The story was re-examined in What If?: Planet Hulk.
In October 2017, a sequel, titled Return to the Planet Hulk, starring Amadeus Cho as the Hulk, was released as a part of Marvel's Marvel Legacy initiative.
When a Gamma bomb causes the Hulk to lose control and attack Las Vegas,[2] the Illuminati decide the Hulk is too dangerous to remain on Earth.[3] With the help of the Hulk's friend and psychiatrist Doc Samson,[4] they trick him into entering orbit to destroy a rogue satellite, and then use a shuttle to jettison him from the solar system. They intended for him to land on a peaceful planet, but the shuttle passes through a wormhole on its way.[5]
As Hulk listens to a recording from the Illuminati explaining their actions, his shuttle crashes on the planet Sakaar. Weakened from the crash, Hulk is fixed with an obedience disk and taken into slavery. He is forced to fight gladiator battles for the planet's emperor, the Red King.[6] Hulk forms a "Warbound" pact with his fellow gladiators Miek, No-Name Brood, Elloe Kaifi, Lavin Skee, Hiroim and Korg.
Hulk becomes a popular hero for his actions in the arena, and a group of insurgents try to recruit the Hulk to their cause.[7] The Hulk declines, but Elloe chooses to go with the rebels.
During their next gladiator fight, Lavin Skee is killed.[8] As the others come closer to winning their freedom, the Red King's lieutenant, Caiera, arranges for them to fight the Silver Surfer, who is also controlled by an obedience disk. During the battle, the Hulk breaks the Silver Surfer's disk, freeing him. After the Hulk and Warbound refuse to kill a captured Elloe alongside two other rebels, the Silver Surfer then destroys all the obedience disks of everyone in the arena. As he leaves Sakaar, he offers to return Hulk to Earth. Hulk chooses to stay behind.[9]
The Hulk and his Warbound, now re-joined by Elloe and on the run from the Red King, are hunted by Caiera. As they travel through villages, Hulk finds followers who believe he is the foretold savior, "Sakaarson". Hulk denies this title. Caiera finally confronts the Hulk, but their battle is interrupted by an invasion of "spikes" that cause monstrous mutations and death to anyone they touch. Caiera calls the Red King for assistance and learns that he ordered the spikes to be deployed there. Horrified at what her king has done, Caiera joins the Hulk.
Hulk leads a raid on the Red King's capital, culminating in a one-on-one battle between the two of them. The Red King is defeated, and Hulk is named the new king. He takes Caiera for his wife, and the two are able to broker peace among the various conflicts which had festered under the Red King. Caiera becomes pregnant with Hulk's child.[10]
Meanwhile, the shuttle that brought the Hulk to Sakaar is being turned into a monument. As part of its self-destruct sequence, the antimatter warp core engine detonates in a massive explosion. The whole city is destroyed, and Caiera dies. Enraged and blaming the Avengers who built the shuttle for the damage, the Hulk and his Warbound leave Sakaar and head for Earth.[11]
Arriving on Earth, Hulk and the warbound begin World War Hulk.[12]
Sakaar rebuilds after the explosion with the help of the Hulk's two surviving sons, Skaar and Hiro-Kala.[13]
A special issue of What If? featured three alternate versions of Planet Hulk:
The 2015 Secret Wars crossover included a miniseries titled "Planet Hulk" written by Sam Humphries and penciled by Marc Laming. It follows a variation of Steve Rogers and a variation of Devil Dinosaur as they fight their way through the Battleworld domain of Greenland, a region filled with an assortment of Hulks.[14]
The series has been collected into a number of individual volumes: